Second quarter: Oregon 45, Arizona 17

Arizona starts with second-and-seven from the UA 19-yard line. A Willie Tuitama pass to Mike Thomas gets nothing, and a screen to Nic Grigsby nets one after Walter Thurmond III trips him up. Keenyn Crier booted a horrid punt of 16 yards, and Oregon took over at the UA 32 with 13:28 to go.

On first down, Chris Harper came in motion from the left slot and took a shovel pass for a 12-yard gain. From the UA 22, Ed Dickson took a lateral and tried a double pass. Jeremiah Johnson was open in the end zone but fell down just before the ball arrived, ruining what would have been a touchdown. Jeremiah Masoli passed to Terence Scott for three yards on second down, and LeGarrette Blount powered 11 yards for the first down at the UA 8. After a Scott end around got three, Masoli pulled the ball back on a zone read and ran in for the score, despite being hit at the 2-yard line. Morgan Flint’s PAT made it 28-10 with 11:46 to go.

They’re giving you throws downfield. They’re giving you razzle dazzle. Calls for more creativity on offense have been answered, eh?

Ducks need to start covering those Gronkowski boys, however. The Wildcats used a couple more Thomas runs to get near midfield. Then, on third-and-four from the UA 45, Tuitama hit a wide open Rob Gronkowski for an 18-yard gain. Next play, CHRIS Gronkowski got open behind the defense and hauled in a 37-yard scoring pass. Bondzio hit the PAT to make it 28-17 with 9:34 to go.

Oregon comes right back and scores, with powerful running and timely passes. Drive starts at the UO 27, and on second-and-nine Masoli hits Aaron Pflugrad with a 10-yard pass. Next play, Dickson gets open over the middle and Masoli hits him for a 36-yard gain. Masoli and Blount each run twice over the next four plays, with Masoli running in a five-yard touchdown for the second time this quarter. Flint hits the extra point with 7:34 to go, making it 35-17.

Masoli is already over 200 yards of total offense for the game.

Arizona’s drive starts at the 27-yard line, and on second down the Ducks break up another pass to Rob Gronkowski. A running back motioned out to receiver, but this time, unlike the Boise State game, Oregon got Jerome Boyd out on him and kept Casey Matthews in the middle. Matthews broke up the pass to Gronkowski. Third down was a face mask penalty on Brandon Bair, giving Arizona another conversion. Two plays later, Boyd came blitzing off the edge and sacked Tuitama for a loss of 11. I thought we’d be seeing Boyd do that all season. Arizona called timeout before third down, then ran a draw for six yards before punting. Oregon takes over at its 12-yard line with 4:27 to go.

Ducks score on three plays for the second time. Masoli dribbles the ball on first down, collecting his muff and pitching to Jeff Maehl for a one-yard gain. Second down he finds Dickson over the middle again for 22 yards. And the next play is a lateral pass to Maehl that he takes 65 yards for a touchdown down the left sideline. Jaison Williams sealed off the sideline with a block. Flint’s PAT made it 42-17 with 3:28 to go.

We have Masoli 12-of-14 passing for 234 yards. Seems like the Ducks are doing everything on offense today that they hadn’t been doing all season: completing passes, getting creative, looking downfield. Very impressive so far.

Arizona takes over at its 34, and gets nothing on first down. Second down, the Ducks sniff out another pass to Gronkowski, with Nick Reed dropping into coverage and hitting him as the ball arrives. Officials flag him for pass interference, however, and it’s a first down at the UA 40. Tuitama then completes three straight short passes, to Thomas for four, to Gronkowski for four and then to Gronkowski for seven and the third-down conversion. After a run for minus-one, Arizona calls its second timeout with 1:18 to go. Tuitama hits Delashaun Dean for seven yards, and Kenny Rowe tips a pass at the line on the next play. Fourth-and-four from the UO 39: Tuitama holds it too long and is sacked by Reed and Rowe. Call that a coverage sack, giving Oregon the ball at the UO 46 with 44 seconds left.

Ducks decide to push it, and why not, given their success this half on offense? Masoli hits Williams for six, and then a simultaneous catch by Williams and a defender goes as a nine-yard gain for Oregon at the UA 39. Masoli then hits Scott for passes of eight and six yards to the 25, and the Ducks call timeout with 15 second left. Masoli tucks and runs for a gain of four, and the Ducks call timeout again with 10 seconds left. Time for a shot at the end zone and then a field goal. Masoli completes his 13th straight pass, to Scott, who makes a nice grab at the UA 5. Flint comes on and makes a 23-yard field goal, and it’s 45-17 at halftime.